EXCAVATIONS AT fJOTTRNTA, CRETE. 5()9 



steps letuliiiji: Avost g-ivos access to the intei'ior of the palace. With- 

 out trying foi- the present to exphiin a hii<ie siii<ile l)h)ck of stone near 

 the top of the steps that may have been the th)()r of a bath, we may 

 turn northward, cross a threshohl 1 meter wide and '1 meters hnig, 

 and foUowing a corridor that runs lirst west and then north, enter 

 an inner court paved Avith cement ("" terrazza '') and open to the sky. 

 The west side of this inner coui't was formed by a line of storerooms 

 mentioned above, which lie on a somewhat lower level; north of the 

 court are more storerooms, a corridor leading to the west entrance of 

 the palace, a well-[)reserved bath, and a small staircase to the second 

 story. On a step of this staircase stood a three-legged stone basin, 

 too heavy to be saved by the owners or easil}'^ looted by an enemy. 



The east side of the inner court oj)ens through a portico composed 

 of two square pillars alternating with two round on a stpiare hall, 

 which was certainly covered, as it was choked with fallen timbers, 

 masses of plaster, and stone slabs that in Minoan houses, as in many 

 Italian houses to-day, nuule the Hooi'ing of the second story. In the 

 southeast corner of the hall is a rectangular recess with a stone bench 

 around three sides and a round base for a colunui that must have sup- 

 ported an architrave across the open side. Here we nui}- sup})ose the 

 prince sat to receive his friends and to dispense justice. It is a semi- 

 public part of the palace, corresponding to the thr-one room at Knos- 

 sos. No doubt the private rooms were on the second story. To them 

 a narroW' flight of stairs led from the northeast coi'uer of the ludl. 

 The walls of this hall are carefully built of well-s(iuared blocks of 

 soft limestone, like those used in the more important parts of the 

 outer walls of the building. At first we were? astonished to find im- 

 mediately adjoining this important hall on the north one s(|uare and 

 two oblong storerooms, the square room containing \'l huge pithoi, 

 one of which is still perfect; but reflection shows that this arrange- 

 ment is a good one, for if the hall was semipublic and was an eating 

 hall for retainers it would be convenient to have " cellar " and pantry 

 at hand. 



A i^art of the hill w^as cut away to give a level floor for the hall 

 and the adjoining rooms, and on the east the ground lies (> or 8 feet 

 higher. Here on the top of the hill no soil could accumulate to pro- 

 tect the ancient structure, and a careful scouring down to live rock 

 simply proved that there had. been nothing lower than the second- 

 floor level between the hall and some narrow rooms of " magazine 

 type " on the extreme eastern limit of the palace, where the land 

 again descends, and that of the second story not even a vestige re- 

 nniins. To the south of the palace, as here described, lies a building 

 of many rooms, wdiich may form a southern wing (possibly the 

 women's quarters) or may be the beginning of a block of houses. It 



